Brenda Sue (Fields) Coan-Downey

Brenda Sue Coan-Downey, 72, of North Vernon, passed away at 11:01 a.m. on Monday, January 3, 2022, at her residence.

Born June 29, 1949, in Richmond, Virginia, she was the daughter of Noah Alfred Slaughter, Judy (Bland) Fields, and adoptive daughter of Eugene Fields. She married James Downey on November 3, 1990, in Butlerville.

Brenda was a 1966 graduate of Milan High School and attended Ivy Tech and South Mt Community College in Phoenix. She worked as a caregiver and DST/QMA for the former Muscatatuck State Developmental Center and Madison State Hospital and was a member of Jehovah Witness in North Vernon. Brenda enjoyed reading the Bible, attending church, quilting, arts and crafts, making rugs, watching cooking shows, fishing, working crossword puzzles, and playing cards and Mahjong. She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren.

Survivors include her sons, Charles Coan of Columbus and Louis “Geno” Coan Jr., of North Vernon; her daughters, Tina Warner of North Vernon and Sandra (Vanessa Hale) Coan of Madison; brothers, Terry (Sandra) Slaughter of Belspring, Virginia, Noah Alfred “Buddy” Slaughter Jr., of West Virginia and Kurt Fields of Milan; sisters, Nola Slaughter of Nashville, Tennessee and Julie (Todd) Schwipps of West Lafayette; grandchildren, Destinie Young, Chaz (Amy Cravens) Coan, Shon (Jamey Boswell) Warner, Devin Coan, and Shane Warner, all of North Vernon, Diamond Coan of Hayden, Dylan Hale, Sierra Hale, Patience (Justin Deckard) Hale and Aaron Hale, all of Madison; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; grandchildren, Timothy Bershear and Cody Short; and family friend, David Dent.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, January 10, 2022, at the Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home and Cremation Service in North Vernon. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Monday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service.  

Memorials may be made in honor of Brenda through the funeral home to help with expenses. 

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